pretentious

[pri-ten-shuhs] / prɪˈtɛn ʃəs /

ADJECTIVE

snobbish, conceited

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arty exaggerated grandiose hollow overblown pompous showy stilted turgid

STRONG

ostentatious

WEAK

affected assuming aureate big bombastic chichi conspicuous euphuistic extravagant feigned flamboyant flashy flaunting flowery gaudy grandiloquent high-flown high-sounding highfalutin imposing inflated jazzy la-di-da lofty magniloquent mincing ornate overambitious puffed up put on rhetorical specious splashy swank too-too tumid utopian vainglorious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

genuine honest moderate modest plain simple

WEAK

humble unconceited

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For Parrot, it would be "pretentious" for the club to consider themselves as a model for other Ligue 1 sides in terms of navigating financial uncertainties.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Here, Coppola brings her respectable, confident disregard for the outsider’s opinion to the documentary format, churning out a film that feels proud but not pretentious.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

I know that sounds super baseball pretentious, like I should be wearing a straw hat and a bow tie, but I don’t care.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

In Tim Burton’s breakthrough film, O’Hara played tragically hip Delia Deetz, the pretentious and self-absorbed stepmother of Winona Ryder’s Lydia.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

“Harrison is the most pretentious peasant I have ever seen,” Kainene said, as she started the car.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Vocabulary lists containing pretentious

100 Top "SAT" Words

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Esperanza Rising

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

The Westing Game

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!